confused and in tears

Nov 21, 2007

Hi doc,how are you. Is there a good reason why i should extend this anxiety thats crippling me to six months. Av had negative antibody tests at 7 and 9 weeks,and was on PEP for 4 weeks after a high risk exposure with a HIV+ female who had low viral load(a drunken night big mistake..!!),..in UK,they dont do a p24 test on the NHS,so i'm considering going private,Would this be definitive or rather should this be negative,how would your expertise* intepret this. Thank you doc for being there for the world.

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hi UK-Guy,

Your negative HIV tests out to nine weeks are extremely encouraging; however, according to the published guidelines here in the U.S., they are not conclusive just yet. We use the guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). You can download a copy of that report at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5402a1.htm. Their recommendation for follow-up testing post-nPEP (nonoccupational post-exposure prophylaxis) includes HIV-antibody testing at both three and six months after exposure. Statistically the odds are all in your favor. If you are having crippling anxiety during the six-month post-nPEP window period, I would suggest you get some help for that problem. Counseling and/or anti-anxiety medications may help. Keep a "positive" attitude about not being positive!! OK?

This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional.

Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.